This invention relates to a method of calibrating a device which continually dispenses items to be mixed, and will have special but not limited application to calibrating a feed mill.
There are currently two accepted methods of mixing various feed grains to form a suitable feed for farm livestock. The first, batch mixing, involves the grinding of a quantity of feed grain in a hopper, then adding desired other ingredients at their desired ratios, thereafter agitating for a period of time to produce the mix. The common method of determining desired ratios is weight. Batch mixing is highly efficient in insuring that the correct ratio of the ingredients is present in the feed. However, batch mixing is time consuming, requires very large, expensive equipment, and does not provide for adequate agitation and mixing of the ingredients. The second, continuous volumetric metering and blending involves a plurality of metering devices to produce the continuous addition of ingredients to the hopper where blending takes place. The method is highly efficient in producing a homogenous feed mixture, is inexpensive relative to batch mixing, and takes up less time and space. However, calibration of such an apparatus must be precise to insure that ingredients are added to the mixture in their correct proportions.